Georgia native William Blewett came to Texas with his family in 1849 and settled first in Jasper County, where he was District Surveyor about 1853. He married his cousin Nancy Adams, and they had 6 children. In 1858 they moved to Newton, where he and his cousin Adam Adams opened the Blewett & Company Mercantile near this site. When the Civil War began, Blewett helped organize a company of local volunteers that became part of Company G, 13th Texas Cavalry. He served as a Captain and died in Arkansas in 1862.